How to Control Oily Skin

Oily skin – some people will tell you it a blessing in disguise! It is true that oily skin tends to age better, but living with oily and combination-oily skin can lead to acne, congestion and shine. Lots of people will try to wash and scrub their face a lot, sometimes making oiliness worse and sensitisation! There are things you can do to help manage oily and combination-oily skin that will keep your skin type under control.

The Oily Skin Type

Oily skin type people have skin that is oily in all zones. The oiliness can be more severe in summer, after activity and with some facial products— particularly moisturiser. In the morning, the face will have some excess oil in all zones. There can be acne and congestion such as blackheads and whiteheads across the face in all zones.

The Combination-Oily Skin Type

People with combination-oily skin are oily in the T-Zone (forehead, nose and chin) and have normal skin on the cheeks, eye area and neck. The T-Zone is particularly prone to blackheads and mild acne. In the morning, there is very little excess oil in the skin but activity and products can contribute to oiliness in the T-Zone throughout the day. In winter, the cheeks can be prone to environmental dehydration.

Cleansing

Skin should be cleansed with a cleanser suitable for oily skin. These will get rid of excess oils and clean pores without harshly drying out the skin. Lightly foaming and clay cleansers are suitable for this skin type, such as Dermalogica’s Special Cleansing Gel, Dermal Clay Cleanser and MediBac Skin Clearing Wash.

Exfoliation

People with oily skin types generally love to exfoliate, but be careful of over exfoliation with scrub exfoliants—only do this once or twice per week! Over-exfoliation has been thought to cause excess oil production. Beta-hydroxyl acids such as salicylic acid are good chemical exfoliating ingredients to look out for, particularly if you are experiencing some mild acne.

Masques

Clay masques are great at absorbing excess oil and cleansing pores. Clay products can be found in Dermalogica cleansers, exfoliants (like in Gentle Cream Exfoliant) and leave on masques (both the Skin Refining Masque and the Sebum Clearing Masque).

Though masques might seem like a luxury step, they are quite popular. Mud is out and volcanic clay is in! Volcanic clay and charcoal are popular ingredients in skincare products for oily skin right now.

Moisturiser

Though oily skin types are scarred of moisturisation, it is still an important step to stop dehydration. Look for oil free moisturisers that add water to the skin. Some moisturisers may also contain acne and mattifying ingredients of salicylic acid, kaolin clay and oil absorbing microspheres. These can fight breakouts and prevent shininess throughout the day!

Emollient (oil) based moisturisers are too heavy for oily and combination-oily skin types and will leave to further oiliness, congestion, obvious pores and breakouts. Do not use coconut oil for a moisturiser for these skin types because it clogs pores.

SPF

Sunscreens can give skin a shiny and oily appearance, and this is the last thing that oily skin types want in a product. Opt for chemical, oil free sunscreens to help keep oily skin managed while out during the day.

Make-up

Again, oil free is the key here! Oil free liquid makeup is an option, and there are also pressed or loose powder options to wear alone or layered. Loose mineral foundation is very popular at the moment and is suitable for oily and combination-oily skin types as it will not block pores. A good tip is to use a fine loose powder on top of your other makeup in the morning, and touch up with a pressed powder on the go as needed.

Medication

There are some medications that can alter the oiliness of your skin, either making it oilier or dryer than usual. You should speak with your doctor or dermatologist if this is concerning to you.

Confused about what products are best for your skin? For tailored skincare solutions why not phone us today for a free skin assessment using Dermalogica Facemapping or contact your local doctor who will arrange for you to see a dermatologist. Contact us today!

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We are Dietitians and Nutritionists, Speech Pathologists and Skincare Specialists. We see adults and children from our office in Randwick. Passionate about health and wellbeing, we write about issues relevant to our clinical practice.